Apparatus for preventing the bursting by freezing of water-circulation systems for combustion engines in motor cars and the like



1,473,562 G. E. JONSSON Filed July 24 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 TING THE BURSTING BY FREEZING OF WATER CIRCULATION N E V HP 9R m mm n u SYSTEMS FOR COMBUSTION ENGINES IN MOTOR CARS AND THE LIKE n 1 m7 EM A y 2 G 1 5 A 1 3 1 0 7 M /r/M ///7 M z f 9 @5y 4; 8 i 0 7 x 4 m H W 7 1 m I I I 7/ 8 4 /v 41. 1 PM Nov. 6, 1923. 1,4?3,562

G. E. JONSSON APPARATUS FOR PREVENTING THE BURSTING BY FREEZING OF WATER CIRCULATION SYSTEMS FOR COMBUSTION ENGINES IN MOTOR CARS AND THE LIKE Filed, July 24 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Nov. 6, 1923. 1,473,562

' G. E. JONSSON APPARATUS FOR PREVENTING THE BURSTING BY FREEZING OF WATER CIRCULATION SYSTEMS FOR COMBUSTION ENGINES IN MOTOR CARS AND THE LIKE FiledJul'y 24, 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 B J 39 7 y I Patented Nov. 6, i923.

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GUSTAF EMIL JONSSON, F HALMSTAD, SWEDEN.

'APPARATUS FOR PBEVENTIN G THE BURSTING BY FREEZIN 0F WATER-CIRCULATEOBT I SYSTEMS FOR COMBUSTION ENGINES IN MOTOR CARS AND 111 Application filed July 24,

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, GUSTAF EMIL JoNs- SON, a citizen of Sweden, and residing at Halmstad, in the Kingdom of Sweden, have invented a new and useful Apparatus for Preventing the Bursting by Freezing of VVater-Circulation Systems for Combustion Engines in Motor Cars and the like, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to an apparatus for preventing the bursting by freezing of the water circulation system used for cooling purposes in combination with combustion engines. The invention has particularly reference to preventing damages on the radiators and cooling jackets of combustion engines used on motor cars, but it may also be used for 'similarpurposes in other combinations.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Fig. 1 shows one form of the apparatus seen in longitudinal section and Fig. 2 shows in the same manner another form thereof. Fig. 3 is a section along the line A-B 'in-"Fig. 2 and Fig. 4in asimilar manner as Figs. 1 and 2shows a third form of the apparatus. In all of the figures the same particulars are referred to by the same reference letters. I

Referring to Fig. 1 the ap aratiis consists of a cylinder 1 and a movea le plunger arranged therein, said plunger being provided with a spindle 3, the free end of which rests against a glass disc 4 closing the one end of the cylinder 1, so that a closed chamber 1 is formed on the rear side of the plunger 2. Thus the cylinder 1 and closed chamber 1 form what will be hereinafter termed in the claims as separate chambers, which in the described construction of the plunger, are communicating. The opposite or bottom end of the cylinder 1 is closed and has a conical interior surface, and said end is provided with a fitting 7 for connecting thereto one end of a pipe or hose 8, the other end of which communicates with the water circulation system so that the water from the same is introduced into the cylinder in the manner clearlv described below.

The glass disc 4 closing the chamber 1 bears upon a packing ring 9 arranged be- Lrsn 1922. Serial No. 577,171.

tween the disc and the cylinder end, said disc and packing ring being kept in their proper place by means of a threaded muff 10 The cylinder 1 may preferably beprovid- 5 ed with radiating flan es 11 in order to in? crease its cooling sur ace and the chamber 1'"- by means of a tubular connecting piece 12 (see also Fig. 3) is intended to be connected to the lowermost pointof the cooling jack} 6 ets of the engine, another similar connecting piece 24 being provided for connecting the apparatuswith the lowermostpointof.

the radiator. If necessary such connections ,I or one of them may consist of intermediate pipes and the apparatus needs not to be di; rectly' connected either with the radiator or. with the said cooling jackets but maybe} placed at any suitable and accessible placein; l the vicinity of the circulation system. 1 A pipe 16 forming a prolongation of the pipe or hose 8 extends centrally Within the, cy inder 1 and is rigidly fixed therein, and a collar 17 is fixed to the pipe 16 adjacent to" the closed end of the cylinder 1 so that a small space is formed between the cylinder bottom and the surface of the collar facing the same' An air valve preferably consist- I ingof a screw 18 is arranged in the cylinder bottom, so that air eventually enclosed in so '.the cylinder may be permitted to escape therefrom by unscrewing the screw 18. When filling the apparatus the said screw may be left open until water escapes therethrough, whereafter it is closed.

Around the inner end of the .pipe 16 is rigidly fixed an abutment, preferably in the form of a sleeve 19, and said abutment serves the purpose of limiting the inward travelof the plunger 2. The pipe 16 extends into the tubular inner portion of the plunger,

which surrounds the open inner end ofthe pipe, and one or more radialholes 23 connect the interior of the pipe 16 and the tubular portion of the plunger with the.95 chamber 1. The upper part of the said tubular portion communicates with the interior of the cylinder 1 by means of radial channels 20 when the flexible valve ring 21 is in open position. The valve ring 21 may preferably be made of india. rubber and the like and the interior pressure within the pipe of each of these channels is provided in' the outer surface of the plunger. facing the cylinder wall.

A slideable valve member 25 is arran ed within the chamber 1 said valve member normally entirely closing the inlet opening of the pipe 24 but leaving the outlet opening of the pipe 12 open to a certain degree as will be understood from the drawing. The valve member 25 by means of a prolongation abuts against the glass disc 4 and opened. whereafte'r the glass disc said prolongation preferably consists of a sleeve 25 surrounding the lower part of the spindle 3. A spring 26 is inserted between the outer surface of the plunger 2 and the valve member 25, said spring tending to push the valve member outwardly as soon as the glass disc 4 is broken.

The water enters the apparatus through the pipes 24, 8 and 16. passes the channels 22 and the valve ring 21 and enters the cylinder 1. Another part of the water flows through the channels 23 into the chamber 1 and enters the cylinder 1 through the.

channels 15 after the chamber 1 has been filled. The air eventually at hand within the cylinder 1 is permitted to escape through the air valve 18 and it is to be understood that the apparatus for a satisfactory working must be completely filled with water, since air bubbles in the cylinder cause a delayof the action desired. A moderate circulation through the apparatus takes place by means of the passage comrising the members 24, 8; 16, 23,1 and 12. Vhen the water tends to freeze the narrow channels 15 andespecially the parts thereof nearest to the cylinder wall are first stepped up. Then the interior of the cylinder 1 is cut off from the chamber 1 and when further freezing takes place the water within the cylinder is converted into ice. the plunger 2 is pressed outwardy and cracks 4. the pieces of which are thrown out by means of the member 25 pressed upon by the spring 26. Simultaneously the valve member 25 is also pressed outwardly and the pipes 24 and 12 are totally the circulation svstcm is drained in a way easily-to be understood without further explanations. Since the valve ring 21 does not take part in the outward travel of the plunger 2 the lower end of the ring slips off from the channels 20 and the water eventually at hand in the cylinder may escape through the passages 20, 22, 23 and 1. Therefore the apparatus canconstantly Then not be damaged by the ice formed within the cylinder 1. I

It is to be understood that for the intended action of the apparatus the interior of the cylinder 1 needs not be completely-filled with ice, but a thin layer quite suflicient for the purpose: Considering the cylinder to be completely filled with water this thin layer (the water being practically not compressible) is sufiicient to increase the interior pressure in such a degree that the plunger is forced outwardly and a rather minute travel of the plunger is sufficient, since the glass disc will be broken thereby and thereafter the spring 26 fulfills the action. If .air bubbles are at hand within the cylinder the action described is delayed in a degree corresponding to the increased ice formation, which is necessary in order to compress the air sufiiciently for giving it a pressure equal to the pressure of the water.

The modified apparatus shown inFig. 2 differs from the one just described in that it has the lower inlet to the cylinder 1 and holes 27 arranged below the collar 17 and betweenthe same and the closed end of thecylinder. The space between said collar and the cylinder bottom is so small that the water therein is subjected to freezing earlier than the water within the cylinder and previous to or simultaneously with the water within thenarrow passages of the plunger, clearly described below. Any air valve is hardly necessary in this modification, since the air may escape through the holes 27 when filling the apparatus. The plunger nearest to its-walls ismay be of a somewhat smaller diameter than 1 the cylinder bore so that eating passages. may be formed between it and the wall of the cylinder, but since it is essential that said passages have the same area or depth around the whole circumference the plunger from the bcginnin may be given a: close fitting in the cylinder wliereafter it may be provided with'longitudinal grooves 15* evenly distributed around its circumference. The ridges formed between said grooves serve the purpose of guidin the plunger.

In this modification the valve arrangement 20. 21 is dispensed with and the fixed pipe 16 is provided with a flange 19 and surrounded by a flexible packing 28 arranged between said flange and the inner end of The spindle 3 of the plunger the plunger.

against the glass disc does not rest directly 4 but against the inner end of the prolonga- 7 tion 25. The outer end of said prolongation rests against the glass disc 4.

The water enters the apparatus through the pipes 24 and 8 and the cylinder is filled with water coming partly through the holes 27 and partly through the passages 16, 23. 1* and 15. A part of the water escapes through the pipe 12 as described above and narrow communia circulation is established through the apparatus. When the water tends to freeze the space between the collar 17 and the cylinder bottom is first filled with ice and simultaneously therewith or immediately thereafter the passages 15 are stopped up in the same manner, whereafter the ap paratus acts precisely as described above.

The modification shown in Fi 4 is substantially like the one shown in the plunger is substituted by amembrane 29, the central part of which is tightly connected with the spindle 3, the edges of the same being tightly ailixed to the cylinder wall. The water enters the apparatus by means of the pipes 24 and l6, passes the holes 22 and the lower edge of the flexible valve sleeve 21 and fills the cylinder 1, whereby the air within the same may be permitted to' escape through the air valve bore 18". After the cylinder 1 has been filled there occurs no circulation through the same but a flow of water passes continuously through the passage 16, 23, 1 and 12.

- When freezing the ice formation within the cylinder 1 causes a pressure upon the water therein and the membrane together with the spindle 3 is pressed outwardly breaking the glass disc (not shown in Fig.

4). Thereafter the spring 23 by means of the valve member 25 throws the glass splinters out and the said valve member opens so that the circulation system is drained, as described above. The water within the cylinder may also escape, since the valve sleeve 21 does not take part in the outward movement of the spindle 3, therefore the holes 22 become uncovered.

It is to be understood that the apparatus may be further modified and combinations of the modifications described may be used in practice without departing from the spirit of the invention. Also in the modification shown in Fig. 2 an air outlet valve from the cylinder may be used and in the last mentioned modification a flexible valve sleeve similarly to the sleeve 21 and 21 may be used instead of the inlets 27.

aving now particularly described and ascertained my invention, I declare that what I claim is 1. An apparatus for preventing the bursting by freezing of water circulation systems for combustion engines comprising acontainer and means moveable therein, means for connecting said container with the circulation system to be protected, so that it will be filled therefrom, a fragile means such as av glass disc closing one end of the container and means interposed between the moveable means within the container and the fragile closing means of 'the same intended for breaking the said closing means when the moveable means is acted upon and moved in one direction by the ig. 1, but "comprising the feature pressure arising-within the container on one sidesoff the movable means upon the formation of ice within the same."

2.An apparatusv as specified in claim 1, comprisingthe feature that the moveable means within the-container divides the same in two chambers, both of which are filled with water.

3. An apparatus as specified in claim 2, that the chamber of the container closed by the fragile means isby tubular conductors adapted to be connected with the lowermost point .of the circulation system to be protected.

4. An apparatus as specified in claim 3, comprising'the feature that the end of the container opposite to the one closed by the fragile means is closed so as to form a ri 'd bottom but connected with the circulation system.

5. An apparatus as specified in claim 4, comprising the additional feature that a valve member is provided within the container compartment closed by the fragile means and by the latter kept in such a position that one conduit forming the inlet of the water flow into said compartment is entirely closed but another conduit forming the outlet therefrom is at least partiallykept open.

6. .An apparatus as specified in claim 5, comprising the additional feature that a spring is interposed between the moveable means within the container and the valve member, said spring tending to press the said members apart.

7. An apparatus as specified in claim 4, comprising nected with the circulation system extends into the compartment of the container opposite to the one closed by the fragile means,

said pipe being open at its inner end and surrounded b a tubular portion of the moveable means, the said tubular portion being in communication with the container compartment closed by the fragile means.

8. An apparatus as specified in claim 7, comprising the additional feature that the pipe connected with the circulation system and extending into the compartment of the container opposite to the one closed by the fragile means communicates 'by means of narrow passages with the first mentioned container compartment.

9. An apparatus as specified in claim 4, comprising the additional feature that the container compartment opposite to the one closed by the fragile means is provided with a controllable air outlet.

10. An apparatus as-specified inclaim 4,

comprising the additional feature that the moveable member dividing the container into two compartments is provided with narrow the feature that a pipe con channels connecting said compartments, at.

least a part of each of said channels being '5 plunger, the outward movement of which & 1,473,562

placed in the vicinity of the container wall. In testimony whereof, I have signed iny 11. An apparatus as specified in claim 2, name to this specification in the presence of comprising the feature that the moveable two subscribin witnesses. means within the container consists of e (il STAF EMIL JONSSON.

.W'itnesses:

HJ. BnANznLL,

is transferred to the fragile closing means G. PETERSBON.

for breaking the same. 

